Vibratory apparatus



Sept." 20,-1932. K. H. WHITNEY VIBRATORY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1'7. 1929 av? l u n n I v 3mm Sept. 20, 1932. I H. WHITNEY VIBRATORY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1929 s Sheets-Sweet 2 gwmmto o Y duowmq HIKNL N WLNPHML, on 3 Nu 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 20, 1932- K. H. WHITNEY VIBRATORY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 17, 1929 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES KARL H. WHITNEY, or KInKsvILLE; ivirssounr VIBRATORY APPARATUS Applicationlfiled December 17, 1929. Serial No. 5.14 758.

My invention relates to improvements in Fig. 5 is a'transverse section through the mechanical massage or vibratory apparatus. One of its objects is to provide improved apparatus whereby a deep seated mechanical massage or vibratorymovement may be imparted to selected portions. of the body of a patient to promote the circulation of the blood and lymphatic fluids of the body for therapeutic purposes. Another object is to provide improved apparatus employing a'plurality of pressure pads or equivalent members of a patient thereon.

and apparatus shown in adapted to operate alternately upon difl erent adjacent portions of the body to apply pressure thereto, thereby causing a to and a movement of the tissues and'fluids of the body fro adapted to effect a deep seated movement and efiect, and a tendency to stimulate and pump or feed the blood and lymph fluids forward in 0 their natural channels, and thereby largely a take the. place of natural exercise instimulating and accelerating such natural flow. Another object is to provide meanswhereby an even positive and soothing vibratory move-.

ment of selected portions of the body may be had free from irregular, jerky. or intermittent pulsations. Another object is to provide inn proved means whereby a plurality ofpressure pads or. similar members may besimultaneously operated relative to a considerable portlon of the body' Another ObJeCt 18 to shown in Fig. '2, for which purpose the-table provide improved speed changeable and readily controllable apparatus for the above pur pose. My invention also comprises certainv detailsof form and arrangement and combination of components, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the .accom panying drawings, which: f

V Fig. l is' a side-elevation of a patient supporting table with my improved apparatus applied thereto, :and'illustrating one position Fig.2 is a view similar trating a diiferent thereon. r l r to :Fig. 1, 'illusposition of a patient Fig. 3 is a perspective View ofjthe table the patient omitted.

liig.

Figs. 1 and 2 with l 4 1s a vertical longitudinal section ta'kenon 4-4: of Fig. 3.

table, taken on line 55 of Fig. 3. 7

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view'of a portion of the table and driving" mechanism.

c-iently deep seated in its nature and effect to have any materialin-fluence upon the fiow of blood, or lymph fluids except substantially at thesurface of the body. .Also the movements of'the mechanism and body tissues were not/firm, slow and uniform, and alternately applied at different localities, and hence were 30 not of a natureto materially-stimulate or accelerate aflowof these fluids along their 'natural channels. 7 The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of my invention inwhich 15 represents a table or similar support for a patient. This supportis preferably arranged to support the patient either resting thereon face upwardly substantially as shown in Fig. 1' or resting thereon face downwardly as hand rests 18' are also preferably provided a, and attached to two of the legs--19 of the table at the head thereof to afford a rest orsupport for the hands and arms of the patient when V facing downwardly. SlotsQOand 21 are also provided along the sides of the table in which slots are mounted a series of short rollers 22 journaled in journalbrackets 23. attached to the table fiOp.

Located beneath the table top is a frame or housing 2% in which are mounted a prime =m0- L i tor or driving member 25, an-electric motor for instance, and a plurality of countershafts 26 and 27. a reduced rate of speed by means of a belt 28 from a pulley 29 on the shaft of the motor to a pulley 30 in the coilntershaft 26. The countershaft 26 is provided with two belt pulleys 31 and '32 of relatively :difi'erent diameters. The pulley 31 drives a pulley33 pro-v vided with a clutch member 34 and mounted loosely upon the shaft-27 by means of a'belt 35 or equivalent driving means. The pulley 32 drives a pulley 36 having a clutch member 37 and mounted loosely upon the shaft 27 by means of a belt 38 or equivalent driving driven, but remains idle. The clutch memattached at one'end to an. eye in one end of her 39-is provided with an annular groove 60, which is engaged by the forked end of 'a clutch shifting lever 61, pivotally mounted relative tothe table 62. A notched segment- I 57 ahdfiS and pad 64 inone direction, for in- 63 servesto engage and retain the shifting lever 61 resiliently in its respectivepositions of adjustment. The shaft 27 has mounted rigidly thereon arrank wheel 40.having a crank pin 41, to which, is pivotally attached a link or connecting rod'142, 'The opposite end of the connecting rod 42 is pivotally at:

tached-at 43 toa' stud carried rigidly by a bar44which is mounted in housin s or uides 45, 46 and 47 to-reciprocate endwise thereof. 7 .Each of the guides or housings 45, 46 and 47 'is provided with two rocker arms 48 and 49, and with two sets ofrollers or'pulleys 50 and 51. A section of belting or cable'52 is the rocker arm 48 and its opposite end is attached to an eye in one end of therocker arm '49. The cable 52is attached at an.intermediate point 53 to the bar 44. -The' cable 52 is also trained over the pulleys 50. Anothersection of belting or cable54 is attached at one end to aneye in theopposite "end of the rocker arm 48, and the opposite end of the cable 54 is attached to an eye in the opposite end of the rocker arm49. .The cable 54 is trained over the pulleys 51 and at an intermediate point 55 is attached to the bar 44. [The respective rocker arms 48 and 49- are centrally pivoted at 56tothe" housing 45,46 or 47.. Thus when the bar144 is reciprocated endwise. the respective rockerflarms 48 and 49 ofeach' housing 45, 46, and 47 are rocked upon their pivots 56,to1and fro.

- Straps or harness members 57 and 58, each The countershaft 26 is driven at provided with a series of perforations to receive a buckle tongue are attached respectively to the eyes at opposite ends of the respective rocker bars 48.. These harness members 57 and 58 are drawn upwardly from the rocker arms 48 through the slot 21 in the edge of the table and over the rollers. 22 in the slot'21'. The harness members 57 and 58 are then, drawn across the body of a patient resting upon'the table'l5,'and into grooves or recess in the upper faces of pads 64 and 65 resting uponthe body of the patient. Harness members 66and 67am respectively at- .tached at one end to eyes in the ends of the respective rocker arms 49. The harness members 66. and 67. are passedl from the rocker" arms-.49 upwardlyithrough the slot 20 and,

over therollers mountedtherein, and above theitable top areprovided with strap buckles 68 by which-the free endsfof the harness members 57 and i 58' are attached respectively to the free ends of theliarness members. 66

and 67 with any desired degree of tension or stramexgerted upon-the pads. The action of the reclp'rocatingbar 44,"cables 52;and 54,

rollers 50 and 51, and rocker arms48 and 49 upon the harness members and pads64 and 65,operating in pairs is such that the rocker bars 48 and 49 are rocked inpairs in reverse directions. so as to pull the harness members stance toward the slot 20, while the harness members 58and67 and the pad 65 are at the sametime drawntoward the slot 21, thereby applying a peculiar strain upon those por by-different adjacentrocker bars alsomove 1n oppositev direct ons to thereby attaina similar stimulating effect, between alternate harness members where four, six, or if desired 'more'than six harness members are-employed simultaneously. Itwill be noted that the entire train of operating members applying energy to the patient, comprising the harness, the rocker bars, and the connecting cables are practically'unyielding in nature, and'that whatever there may be of a resilient nature mustreside in thebody of the patient whichis inclosed within the. loop formed by the harness, the rocker bars and the cables. Alsoithatb tensionins. or ti 'htening y l; :3

this-loop about'the bodythe result may be. more or less deep seated in variedand made its lnfluence.

. The rollers 22' takethestrain ofjthe harness at the Jsideswith an antifriction movement,

causing the tension, 1 and strain of movement to be concentrated largely upon and in the Y may be provided,

neighborhood of the pads 64. The side bars 72 of the table conceal the operating mechanism from view, and are preferably detachably mounted. With my improved apparatus practically the entire length of the spinal column may be under treatment at the same time, and the treatment may be conveniently continued for considerable periods of time, if desired. i

I have illustrated two rates or changes of number of speed changes speed, but a greater if desired. The speed changing and actuating apparatus is comparatively inexpensive and also practically noiseless, and readily kept in operativecondt tion.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerable modification within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. 7

What I claim is:

1. Vibratory apparatus comprising a sup port for the body of a patient, a motor driven member located beneath and lengthwise of said support and reciprocating endwise thereof, a pair of rocker arms located upon opposite sides of said reciprocating member and actuated thereby, harness members attached to the ends of said rocker arms and forming loops over the body of a patient resting upon said support. I

2. Vibratory apparatus comprising a support for the body of a patient, a motor driven member located beneath and lengthwise of said support and reciprocating endwise thereof, a pair of rocker arms located upon opposite sides of said reciprocating member and actuated thereby, harness members attached to the ends of said rocker arms and forming loops over the body of a patient resting upon said support, said harness members moving alternately in opposite directions transversely of the patient.

3. Vibratory apparatus comprising a support for the body of a patient provided at opposite sides thereof with rollers, a pair of centrally pivoted motor driven rocker arms, a pair of harness members each attached at its opposite ends to one end of each of said rocker arms, said harness members being looped over the body of a patient resting upon said sup port, and movable in opposite directions over said patient. 7

4. Vibratory apparatus comprising a support for the body of a patient provided at opposite sides thereof with rollers, rocker arms centrally pivoted face of said support and motor driven, a pair ofharnessmembers attached in pairs to opposite ends of saidrocker arms, said harness members being looped over said rollers and over the body of a-patient resting upon said support and movable in opposite directions over said rollers and patient.

5. Vibratory apparatus comprising a suptively difierent in pairs to the under port for the body ofa patient-having rollers at the sides thereof, a pair of, roekerarms located beneath said su'pportand each centrally pivoted, a driving motor operatively connected to said rockerarms, speed changing 4 apparatus interposed between-said motor and said rocker arms, a pair of harness members attached inpairs to opposite ends" of said. rocker arms, said harness members being looped over said rollers and overt-he body of operatively connected to said harness mem ,bers to actuate said harness members at relatively different rates" of speed, and a. manually operable clutch member havinga' neutral idle position of adjustment" and op'erative positions of adjustment at opposite sides of said neutral position serving to connect said motor in driving relation with said j harness members at relatively difierent speed ratios. r

7. Vibratory apparatus comprising a support for the body of a patient, a pair of loop shaped harness members operating in alternate directions and looped over the body of a patient resting upon said support, pads interposed between said harness members and the body of the patient, a harness driving motor, a pair of speed changing members driven from said motor and operatively connected to said harness members at relarates of speed and a manually operable clutch member having a neutral idle position of adjustment and operative positions of adjustment at opposite sides of said neutral position serving to connect said motor in driving relation'with said harness members at relatively different speed ratios.

8. Vibratory apparatus comprising a patient support, a frame mounted on the under side of said support, rocker arms spaced apart and pivotally mounted on said frame, a pluralityof pulleys mounted on said frame between said rocker arms, cables each attached to' cer'tain ends of said rocker arms and passed partially around certain of said pulleys, harness member attached to said rocker arms and extending up over said patient support, "and a reciprocating member attached to central portions of said cables and adapted to pull on certain portions of said cables. a

9. Vibratory apparatus comprising a pati'ent support, amotor driven member movably mounted on said patient support, a

plurality of pulleys disposed in sets with one pulley of each set disposed on the opposlte side of said motor drivenmember from the other pulley in said set, a plurality of cables each passlng partially around the pulleys in one set of said sets of pulleys and 113V: ing'its central portion attached to said motor driven operatively connected to saideables and dis,- posedover said patientsupport.

10. Vibratory apparatus comprising a patient support, aiplurality of cables disposed under said patient support, rollers mounted on-the under side of said patient support, 7 harness members operatively; connected to said cables, passing partially around said I rollers and up over said patient support, pulleys mounted on said patient support and disposed in sets with one ofsaid cables passing partially around the pulleys in'one set 1 of said pulleys, and a motor driven member movably mounted on and attached to central portionsof allof said cables. v a Y Y In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

member, and harness members said patient support KAR WHITNE 

